The present invention relates to non-naturally occurring plants that display enhanced agronomic characteristics due to elevated levels of nitrogen utilization proteins in the root of the plants. In particular, the present invention relates to non-naturally occurring plants with elevated levels of nitrogen utilization proteins specifically localized to the root epidermis of the plant. In addition, the present invention includes a preferred method of generating such non-naturally occurring plants by introducing into the plant a transgene encoding a nitrogen utilization protein operably linked to a root-epidermis-specific promoter.